Vier Mewati mannen rond een muur in Delhi before 1869

Curator: Here we have "Vier Mewati mannen rond een muur in Delhi," a gelatin silver print produced before 1869 by Shepherd & Robertson. The title translates from Dutch to "Four Mewati Men around a Wall in Delhi". What is your first impression? Editor: Well, before anything, the symmetry, the light, the tones, are quite striking. The wall, its austere elegance, throws the humanity of these men into sharp relief, if that makes sense. They almost feel sculptural. Curator: Indeed. The image functions, in part, as a genre painting, offering a glimpse into daily life, but it's also undeniably portraiture. Considering the time, there’s a strong current of orientalism woven in here too. The work, from its title to its framing, is deliberately placing these subjects. Editor: Absolutely, but maybe that intent adds layers rather than diminishes it? These men—are they aware they're being exoticized, and how does that affect their pose, their engagement with each other? One figure seated alone, deep in contemplation... Is he just tired? What’s on his mind? I feel there is a deliberate storytelling here that leaves more unsaid. Curator: Precisely. Their gaze, even averted, becomes charged with meaning in a photograph taken within a colonial context. Consider how elements such as their dress, the architectural backdrop of that very stark wall – are being codified to construct meaning, both then and now. It raises questions about who has the authority to represent whom, what is perceived as cultural translation, and who benefits. Editor: You put it so well. It is strange and touching that time separates me from their world, yet they stand right before me in such intimate terms. I guess the artist did achieve the objective that was intended when documenting life, even if touched with bias. Curator: Photography as document and artifact intertwined. As much as it captures the subjects it also captures the preconceptions and desires of its creators and initial viewers. Editor: Something both distant and intimately shared. Very poignant, thank you for illuminating. Curator: My pleasure. It gives one a lot to consider about our perspectives and values then versus now.